Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Saint Louis, MO

The H1N1 (Swine) Flu has garnered a lot of attention in the last few weeks. Our children hear conversations and catch headlines about pandemic flu scenarios that scare them and don't always know fact from fiction. As a parent, it is hard to wade through the stories and understand how to protect our families from illness and it is even harder for children to understand the situation. It is important to talk to school age children about the flu and reassure them that everything will probably be okay but teach the skills necessary to lessen the chances they will catch the flu. Because the flu was called "swine flu" when first identified, kids may get the mistaken idea that they can catch the flu from pigs or eating pork and you should reassure them that the virus isn't spread in this way. Also explain that even if family members catch the flu, they will most likely be fine since the virus appears to be more mild than previously thought. Of all the cases in the United States, there has only been one fatality and most people have fully recovered.

One of the most important things to do to prevent getting the flu is becoming educated on what flu symptoms are and how to avoid contracting the virus. For Missourians, the Missouri Department of Health's Web site is an informative resource for facts about the spread of the H1N1 Flu in the state. As of May 9th, there are 14 confirmed cases of H1N1 Flu in the state with 3 cases in St. Louis County and 3 more in St. Charles County. The Health Department page is updated daily with the latest figures and statistics as well as information on how to avoid contracting the virus. The national Center for Disease Control is also maintaining a Web site with the latest information on the latest flu information. There are nation-wide statistics, case counts by region and health information available through CDC Web site.

Tips on avoiding the new flu virus are the same for avoiding regular, seasonal flu viruses. Teach your children good health hygiene by instructing them to sneeze or cough into a tissue then throw it away. If a tissue is not available, kids should be taught to sneeze or cough into their elbow instead of on their hands. Hand washing is one of the most important things anyone can do to avoid contracting the virus. Kids should be taught not just to wash their hands  with soap but to wash them for the proper length of time. An easy way to teach this lesson is to tell them to sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while washing their hands and explain they aren't done washing until the song is finished. If soap and water are unavailable, alcohol based sanitizers like Purell are also useful for killing germs on hands.

What do you do if you or a family member gets sick? Recognize flu symptoms and learn when it is necessary to seek medical attention. H1N1 Flu symptoms are similar to seasonal flu symptoms and include: fever, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, body aches and headaches. At this point, doctors are advising people to stay home if they have flu symptoms and assuring that people don't need to go to the doctor when they begin to experience flu symptoms. As always, people should seek medical attention if they have problems breathing, a very high fever or other serious symptoms. The Missouri Department of Health page suggests staying home for seven days after symptoms arise and longer if the illness persists.

Any flu can be dangerous to young children or people with a compromised immune system so when in doubt, be cautious. Some school districts in other states closed in late April to slow the expected spread of this new flu. Since that time, the spread and severity of the H1N1 Flu appears to have slowed and school closings have decreased. Parents of students can often get information from the district at their web sites or through emails and text alerts. My son's elementary school has been sending home information updates and pushing hand-washing and proper sneezing/coughing techniques with students. If your child's school does decide to close to be cautious in avoiding the spread of the virus, reassure your child that classsmates and teachers will also be okay and the closing is just precautionary to keep everyone safe.